Up to the present, in order to stand erect such people commonly rely upon an external support aid such as a standing frame which is separate from any chair that they may use. Although such aids may be portable it can be very difficult to transfer from or to a sitting position in a chair. Moreover, such support aids are usually designed to be positioned in front of the user. Consequently this can interfere with or obstruct close approach to a bench or work table for example.
The invention provides a remedy for this difficulty and assists the user of an invalid chair to change between a sitting posture and a standing posture, and to be supported while remaining in a standing posture. Some proposals have been made from time to time for various means, embodied in structure incorporated within the chair for propelling the chair occupant into a standing posture and for holding him upright. In general, however, these prior proposals have usually involved the use of power drive means and of relatively complex and costly structures which have not been well suited for extensive and widespread adoption to meet the needs of many persons who could otherwise benefit from some such means for assistance.
An object of the present invention is accordingly to provide an invalid chair with improved means for assisting the user to change between sitting and standing postures which can be readily operated and controlled by the user himself without need for power drive means and which can be embodied in relatively simple mechanical structures readily incorporated within the chair.